Stabilizer for aeroplanes



M. PEARSON STABILIZER FOR AEROPLANES Dec. 8 1925.

' Filed March 16,

1925 2 sneets-sneut 1 7 v ltzvenfor. 2 Mari/r2 Pearson.

Jttorrz ey M. PEARSON STABILIZER FOR AEROPLANES Filed March 16, 1925 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Invert for. Marian-Pearson.

Patented Dec. 8, 1925.

UNITED STATES MARTIN PEARSON, 0F LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

STABILIZER FOR AEROPLANES.

Application filed March 16, 1925.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARTIN PEARSON, a citizen of the United States qiAmerica, residing at Los 'Angeles, county of Los Angeles, State ofCalifornia, have invented a certain new and useful Stabilizer forAeroplanes; and I do hereby declare the follow ing to be a full, clear,and exact'description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

An object of this invention is to provide a simple means for maintainingthe equilibrium of an aeroplane while in flight. To that end, I employ apropeller that is adapted to be moved in a circle, and to automaticallyChange its position and be actuated to resist an accidental diverting ofan aeroplane from a predetermined flying position. That is, when anaeroplane is accidentally tipped to a side or end position in which itis. liable to fall, the stabilizer propeller will automatically be movedinto a position and driven to restore and preserve the equilibrium ofthe aeroplane. H

- Another object is to provide a simple and eflicient means formaintaining the equilib rium of an aeroplane while in flight which alsocan be utilized to provide auxiliary power to propel. the aeroplane.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention may appear from theaccompanying drawings, the subjoined detailed description and theappended claims.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention.

Figure 1 is a side view of a stabilizer constructed in accordance withthis invention showing it attached to an aeroplane.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmental longitudinal section through-thestabilizer.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmental section through the tail end and rudderof the stabilizer, showing therein an electrical switch in openposition.

Fig. 4 is a cross section on line 4-4, Figs. 1 and 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmental section through a portion of thepropeller support showing therein a detail of a rotary electricalconnection.

Fig. 6 is a cross section on line 6-6, Fig. 5. r Fig. 7 is an enlargedview of an aeroplane assumed to be falling, showing the position of thestabilizer when operating to resist Serial No. 15,980.

turn the aeroplane back to a normal flying position.

Fig. 10 1s a diagrammatic view of the electrical motor, battery switchesand wiring of the stabilizer; showing the switches in open position.

Fig. 11 is a view analogous to Fig. 3, showing the switch in a closedposition.

The stabilizer 12 is attached to the body 13 of an aeroplane andpreferably arranged (iii the top thereof and adjacent tocock pit Theaeroplane shown in the drawings is' provided with the usual wings 13,propeller 13 and rudder 13. These parts are old and well known in theart and are therefore not shown or described in detail.

On the top of the body 13 is arranged a hollow support 15 that issecured by bolts 16 to a platform 17 and a'ball bearing housing 18 issecured on the top end of the support. 4

Stationary disks 19 and 20 are arranged on opposite sides of a. rotarydisk 21; and suitable ball bearings are arranged between the disks sothat the disk 21 can have relatively free rotary movement.

The disk 21 is threaded and secured to the threaded portion of a hollowspindle 22 that extends down into the support 15; and also has its upperend' extending through the housing 18; and a motor housin 23 is securedto the upper end of the spindle.

An electrical motor 24:, having a shaft 25 extending through a rollerbearing 26, is secured in the housing 23; and secured to the shaft 25 isthe stabilizer propeller 27.

Preferably the support 15 is arranged perpendicular to the longitudinalaxis of the aeroplane body 13 and is rigidly secured in that position asalso braced by ro s 28 that extend from an annular flange 29 on thehousing 18 to the reviously stated; and is platform 17 to which they aresecured by eye bolts 30.

I tail.

This arrangement of the support causes it to incline rearwardly towardthe tail end of the aeroplane at an angle of about fifteen degrees.

The purpose ofinclining the support rearwardly is to enable theweighted. end of the stabilizer tail 31 to normally hold the propeller27 toward the head end of the aeroplane; so that normally the shaft 25is parallel with the longitudinal axis of the body 13.

A tail 31 has one end secured to the motor housing 23; and integral withthe free end of this tail is a ball cage 32 that is arranged to extendabout thirty degrees upward from the longitudinal axis of the tail; sothat normally the heavy ball 33 therein will lay atthe end of the cageadjacent the tip end of the tail 31.

Spring mounted electrical contacts 34 and 35 are secured at the otherend of the cage 32; and normally they are disengaged; but they arearranged to be moved into contact when the ball 33 is forced by gravityinto engagement with an insulation block 36 that is carried by thespringcontact 34.

In other words when the cage 32 is tilted into a position in whichgravity will cause the heavy ball 33 to roll into engagement with theblock 36 it will press the contact 34 into engagement with the contact35 and establish a circuit between the motor 24 and a battery 46.

A tail rudder 37 is secured to the tip end of the tail 31 and cage 32,and. as its purpose is well understood it is not described in de- Aninsulation plug 38 is threaded into the lower end of the spindle 22; andit is provided with an axial circuit forming bolt 39. Also anothercircuit forming bolt 40 is arranged ofi' center and extends through theplug 38.

An insulation block 41 is secured in the support 15 by screws 42, andarranged adj acent the plug 38. A circuit forming bolt 43 is secured inthe block 41 and arranged to continually engage the bolt 39. A circuitforming ring 44 is secured by a bolt 45 in the block 41 and arranged tocontinually engage the bolt 40 to thereby form circuits from a battery46 to the motor 24 that will not be broken when the spindle 22 isrotated.

The wiring from the battery 46 to the motor 24 is diagrammatically shownin Fig. 10. As seen therein a wire 47 connects the battery with a knifeswitch 48, and this switch is connected by a wire 49 with the bolt 43,that is continually in circuit with the bolt 39; and a wire 50 connectsthe bolt 39 with one side of the motor 24.

A wire 51 connects the other side of the motor 24 with the springcontact 34. Spring contact is connected by a wire 52 with the bolt 40which is in continual circuit with the ring 44 and bolt 45; and the bolt45 is connected by a wire 53with the other side of the battery 46 sothat when the switch 48 is closed and the contacts 34 and 35 are engageda circuit will be formed through which power will be transmitted fromthe battery to drive the motor.

It is understood that the contacts 34 and 35 can be arranged in a switchthat can be opened'and closed by manual instead of the automatic meansshown if so desired.

The stabilizer is constructed and arranged so that the weight ofthe tail31, cage 32, heavy ball 33 and rudder 37 over-balances the propeller 27so that when the aeroplane is tipped out of normal flying position theover-weighted tail end of the stabilizer will move by gravity to turnthe stabilizer propeller in a proper direction to be operated to movethe aeroplane back to its normal flying position. In other words thespindle 22 on which the housing 23 is mounted will be turned on its axisby the over-weighted tail end of the stabilizer when the aeroplane istipped out of normal flying position.

A means is provided for securing the spindle 22 from rotatin so thatwhen desired the stabilizer can be held in a predetermined position sothat its propeller can be used to aid in driving the aeroplane.

It is understood of course that when so used that the wiring connectionof the motor and battery would be arranged accordingly. Such wiring iswell understood in the art and is therefore not shown or described indetail.

A latch pin 54 is slidably extended through an opening 55 in the support15; and arranged to extend into a socket 56 in the spindle 22.

The socket 56 is arranged so that when the pin 54 is secured thereinthat the propeller shaft 25 will be parallel with the longitudinal axisof the body 13.

A bell crank 57 is pivotally connected to the support 15 and pin 54 sothat it can be operated by a draw bar 58 to release or engage the pinwith the socket 56.

These parts are constructed and arranged so that in the event of anaccidental fall of the aeroplane the pin 54 can be quickly released fromthe spindle 22 so that the stabilizer can automatically function toresist falling and return the aeroplane to a normal flying position.

The draw bar 58 is provided with teeth 59 that are adapted to be engagedwith a stationary tooth 60 that is secured to the platform 17, and aspring 61 also secured to the platform 17 is arranged to normally holdthe teeth engaged.

The parts for locking the spindle 22 from rotation are old and wellknown in the art;

and it is understood that they can be constructed in any well known way.

The operation of the stabilizer is illustrated in Figs. 7, 8 and 9. InFig. 7 the aeroplane is assumed to be falling side-wise toward theground; in which position the stabilizer is turned cross-wise to thelongitudinal axis of the aeroplane and has its propeller drawn to liftthe aeroplane in the direction of the short arrows to resist falling andalso return the aeroplane to a poise of equilibrium. Also in Fig. 8 theaeroplane is assumed to be falling side-wise; and the stabilizer actingas in Fig. 7, which action will cause the aeroplane to turn on itslOHgltudinal axis so that its wings will be moved from the vertical linea, b, to the horizontal line 0, d.

In other words one wing 13 will move in the direction of the arrows inthe are a, d; and the other wing will move in the are I), 0, until theaeroplane reaches a positionof equilibrium or normal flying position;after which the stabilizer will return by gravity to the position shownin Fig. 1.

In Fig. 9 the aeroplane is assumed to be falling head downward and thestabilizer is shown in a reversed position and operating to resist thefall and, lift the aeroplane in the direction of the short arrows whichaction in addition to resisting the fall of the aeroplane will alsooperate to turn it back into a normal flying position or to a poise ofequilibrium.

I claim- 1. The stabilizer for aeroplanes set forth comprising a supportadapted to be secured to an aeroplane; a spindle carried by saidsupport; a housing secured to said spindle; a tail secured to saidhousing; a cage at the tip end of said tail; electrical contacts in saidcage; a ball in said cage for causing said contacts to engage: a motorin said housing: a propeller secured to the shaft of said motor; andmeans for actuating said motor when said contacts are engaged.

2. The stabilizer for aeroplanes set forth comprising a hollow supportadapted to be secured to an aeroplane; a hollow spindle carried by saidsupport: a housing secured to said spindle; a weighted tail secured tosaid housing; a motor in said housing; a

shaft to said motor; a propeller on said mshaft, said spindle adapted torotate so .means to drive said motor to actuate said propeller.

3. The stabilizer for aeroplanes set forth comprising a hollow supportadapted to be secured to an aeroplane; a hollow spindle 6 carried bysaid support; a housing secured to said spindle; a motor in saidhousing; a shaft to said motor; a propeller on said shaft; means todrive said motor to actuate said propeller; and a weighted tail arranged6 to over-balance said propeller so that when the aeroplane is tippedout of normal flying position that said tail"will turn sai.d spindle onits axis and move said propeller in the arc of a circle.

'1. The stabilizer for aeroplanes set forth comprising a hollow supportadapted to be secured to an aeroplane; a hollow spindle carried by saidsupport; a housing secured to said spindle; a motor in said housing; ashaft to said motor; a propeller on said shaft; a weighted tail securedto said housing that is adapted to turn said spindle on its axis whensaid support is tilted out of a normal position; a battery; and a wiringconnection between said battery and motor that is arranged to extendthrough said hollow support and spindle.

5. The stabilizer for aeroplanes set forth comprising a platformarranged on the body of an aeroplane; a hollow support secured to saidplatform; a ball bearing housing secured to said support; an annularflange to said housing; brace rods extending from said flange to eyebolts secured to said platform: a ball bearing in said housing; a hollowspindle adapted to revolve in said bearing; a motor housing secured tosaid spindle; a motor in said housing; a shaft to said motor; apropeller on said shaft: a battery; and a wiring connection between saidmotor and battery that is arranged to extend through said spindle andsupport.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification at LosAngeles,, county of Los Angeles. State of California, this 10th day ofMarch, 1925.

MARTIN PEARSON.

